


Excuses

by alphabetgirl



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Deaf Character, Discussion of Abortion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:53:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24520384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphabetgirl/pseuds/alphabetgirl
Summary: Just a short conversation I came up with between Callum and Lola, because I really didn't like how Lola.tried to use Ben's deafness as an excuse for an abortion.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	Excuses

"Alright, I'm coming," Lola called to whoever was insistently rapping on the door of the Beale's residence.

"Callum," she smiled. "What can I do for you?"

"Lexi left her book bag at ours, I'm just dropping it off,".

"Great, thanks. Do you fancy a...is everything alright?"  
She asked, noticing the sad look on his face. Sad and possibly disappointed.

"Not really,"

"Is it Ben? Is he alright?" She asked worriedly, stepping back to allow her friend to enter the house.

"I suppose it depends on how you define the term 'alright'" Callum muttered.

"Do you fancy a cuppa, and then you can tell me what is going on?" She asked, feeling her anxiety rise.

"No,".

Lola blinked, surprised. Callum was being short with her, borderline cold even. He hadn't been like that with her before and if she was totally honest, it unnerved her.

"Callum, what's...?"

"You know, that really wasn't a nice thing to do," he said to her.

Lola gave him a blank look.

"Using Ben as an excuse for your abortion,". He clarified.

Lola swallowed dryly as an icy cold hand of dread squeezed her insides.

"He needed me," she said weakly, the same thing that she had told Ben.

"Oh, come off it Lola, you didn't go through with an abortion because Ben needed you. If you did, then where have you been? You haven't exactly been a pillar of strength for him these past few months have you? You've hardly been near him."

"I..."

"If you really wanted that baby, you wouldn't have gone through with it. Besides, a lot can happen in nine months. There is absolutely no reason to believe that Ben wouldn't be doing a lot better by the time the baby arrived. He was just a convenient excuse, because you were not ready for another child and you felt that you needed to justify yourself to Jay,"

Lola's eyes filled with tears at that, and Callum's eyes and voice softened.

"I am sorry that you felt that you had to justify not wanting the baby, you know? You shouldn't have had to do that,". He sighed sadly, "But you need to understand that you've essentially thrown Ben under a bus where Jay is concerned. And you've left Ben in a right state. He feels so guilty. He thinks that he has essentially caused the death of your unborn child and that his brother now hates him. And in claiming that you did it to support him, you have done nothing but made him feel like a burden,"

Lola swiped at the tears on her cheeks. It would have been better if Callum screamed and shouted at her. Like Ben had done. This quiet, calm disappointment was so much worse.

"I've made such a mess of everything," she whispered. "And Ben's gonna hate me when I tell him the truth,"

Callum regarded her with sympathy. 

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. He loves you, and if he can continually forgive Phil bloody Mitchell for far worse offences, he won't have a problem with forgiving you,". 

Lola managed a small smile at that. 

"And we're alright?" She asked hopefully. 

The tight hug she received was her answer.

**Author's Note:**

> I really didn't buy into Lola deciding to abort the baby just days after finding out that Ben had lost his hearing, in order to support him. Ben had Callum, who he was mainly leaning on, and other people around him. It was never just down to Lola. She just wasn't ready for another baby and unfortunately in today's society women feel the need to justify their reason
> 
> I really hope Eastenders show Lola and Jay apologize because being told that you are to blame for an abortion must be awful.


End file.
